Hound on the Run - Audio Edition

Last week on the podcast, I mentioned that I was taking my dogs to the first Fern Ridge Tree Hound Club field trial of the year. Well, I did, and what an experience it was. I have to admit that the whole event was a bit overwhelming for me and my dogs and it took me a few days to gather my thoughts to the point where I could actually talk about how it went. It wasn’t anything crazy, just a new experience.To give a recap of the event, I called up my buddy Charlie to talk through what happened and how it went. Charlie played an integral role in the success of the field trial so it was great to chat with him to hear how it all went down from his perspective. You can find the Fern Ridge Tree Hound Club on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/FRTHC/And you can sign up for the Fern Ridge Tree Hound Club newsletter here: fernridgetreehoundclub.substack.comI hope you enjoy the episode. Sincerely, Niklas Get full access to Hound on the Run at www.houndontherun.com/subscribe

Today I’m flying solo for a quick lil’ hitter. First, I share some info about the Fern Ridge Tree Hound Club field trial happening this weekend.If you would like to learn more about the field trial, feel free to reach out to Charlie Merrifield through the Fern Ridge Tree Hound Club Facebook page.You can also subscribe to the Fern Ridge Tree Hound Club newsletter that Charlie just launched here. Then, I share the recorded audio edition of a previous newsletter I sent out a few weeks back which is the introduction to a multi-part series I’ve been working on. As you’ll hear, this piece strays away from the actual hunting aspect of owning hound dogs, and instead, dives deep into the abstract world of what a dog really is and what it means to have a relationship with one.I get into my early days of obedience training with my dogs and how, at a certain point, I saw no other option but to actually start hunting with them. If you’d like to read the text version of the piece, check it out here: When We Aren’t HuntingIf you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please subscribe and leave a review! And if you want to read more of my writing, consider subscribing to the newsletter:Thanks for tuning in and wish me and my dogs good luck at the field trial this weekend!Sincerely, Niklas Get full access to Hound on the Run at www.houndontherun.com/subscribe

In this week's episode, I interview my good buddy Jason Duby. Jason is the Director of Customer Relations and Communications at Double U Hunting Supply, and as we talk about in the episode, he is also one of the very first people I met who also owned hounds. If you don’t know about Double U, you’ve probably never searched for anything hound-related online – especially when it comes to the gear we all use, things like fancy-schmancy GPS tracking collars and satellite communication devices. If you’re in the market for one or many of those things, I highly recommend you check them out at dusupply.com.Follow Double U Hunting Supply on: Instagram: @dusupplyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/dusupply/As you’ll hear in this episode, I took a slightly different approach to this interview than I have with my previous guests. I always like experimenting and getting creative, so about 10 minutes before I got on the phone with Jason, I took the many questions I had written out for him and turned them into 10 simple either or questions. I tried keeping them as focused yet open ended as I could. Jason is someone who I consider a deep thinker, so I wanted to leave some room for the abstract. I had a lot of fun with this interview, and as I listened back, each of Jason‘s answers generated many more questions for me … We could’ve easily spent an hour on each topic. I want to give a big thanks to everyone who has subscribed at houndontherun.com and everyone who has shared my posts on social media or simply told a friend about what I’m doing. For now, houndontherun is simply my main creative outlet and a way for me to explore this whole wild world of hound hunting in a deeper way. So, thanks again for tuning in and following along I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did. Sincerely, Niklas Get full access to Hound on the Run at www.houndontherun.com/subscribe

Man, I love artists. Humble, talented artists are even better. And artists who make hound art? Maybe the best kind of artist there is. Derek Tormanen — AKA Outer Agenda Artwork (@outer.agenda.artwork) — is one of those artists who makes stunning hound art and graphic design. He also happens to be a super chill dude who’s slowly taking the hound world by storm with his designs.Check out Derek’s work:Instagram — @outer.agenda.artworkFacebook — Outer Agenda IllustrationsLike myself, Derek is also at the beginning of his journey into hound ownership with two coonhounds to call his own but is fully hooked into the hound dog lifestyle with no end in sight. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Sincerely,Niklas Get full access to Hound on the Run at www.houndontherun.com/subscribe

It is so refreshing to speak with someone who takes themselves seriously, knows what they like doing, and strives to do what they do at the highest level. That’s the vibe I got from today’s interview guest, Jordan Wright. Jordan is definitely more legit than me and likely more legit than you. Although she’s a young houndsman, she has over 14 years of experience handling hounds and comes from a family that’s been involved with hunting dogs for the last three generations. I have only had the pleasure of chatting with Jordan for an hour, but I got the feeling that when it comes to hounds — both deer dogs and coon dogs — she knows what she’s talking about.I caught Jordan while she was helping out at her hunting club, so the internet connection wasn’t the best and there are some glitches in the audio — please accept my apologies and listen through to the end anyway, I assure you it’s worth it.I learned a lot from Jordan about her pack of deer dogs, what it means to bench-break a coonhound for the show ring, and what it’s like to hunt with dogs in North Carolina in general. I hope you enjoy the conversation I had with her as much as I did. Follow Jordan on Instagram @jordann.wrightt Get full access to Hound on the Run at www.houndontherun.com/subscribe

In today’s episode, I interview my good hunting buddy Charlie Merrifield. Since I spend a lot of time with Charlie, I forgot to cover the basics like where he’s from and all that, so let me take a second to fill you in on some background. Charlie grew up in Northern California in a family that raised and ran sled dogs, but now lives in Salem, OR, and is an avid hunter of the raccoon with his 3-pack of dogs, which you’ll get to know in the episode. If you listened to the first episode of the podcast with my cousin Josh, you heard from Charlie then, and you’ll likely hear from him in the future, but I wanted to spend an hour with him as part of the Portrait of a Houndsman series to get to know him, his dogs, his motivations for hunting, what it’s like to live with hunting dogs in the house, and much, much more. In this episode we cover: Trying to rabbit hunt with a bluetick/walker cross … welcomed with open arms but it just wasn’t going to workWhat is a Stephen’s Cur … Psychotic foxhounds out of coyote hounds with which to coon hunt …A yellow lab with a real skinny long head … or at least that’s what it looks likeA breeder who could care less about the good but bring on the bad … improving lines one pup at a time …The need for someone to school me on dog registration …Benefits of getting a started dog as your first dog …Striving for solo time with each dog …Living with hounds in the house … it just takes more time and attention …Dangers in the household for a canine …Handler-side interpretations … decoding all the information …The real reason why Charlie dogs live in the house …Lost keys saved by hip boots …Revenge of the zombie raccoon …Thanks for listening, if you enjoyed, please leave a rating and review and share it with any hound-running friends you may have. To get my written newsletter delivered to your inbox, subscribe to Hound on the Run at the link below — there are paid subscription options, but I’d like to invite you to sign up for the free subscription (choose “None” when choosing a tier) and let me show you what it’s all about.Until next time, Niklas Get full access to Hound on the Run at www.houndontherun.com/subscribe

In this second episode of the Hound on the Run Podcast, I’m kicking off what I envision to be recurring series called Portrait of a Houndsman where I interview anyone willing to talk with me about their dogs to show a glimpse into the diverse world of hound hunting.First up is Ben Sheets (@treetalkinmedia on Instagram). Ben is a tree dog enthusiast of over 13 years out of Pennsylvania who got started with curs and feists but currently runs Leopard coonhounds. I had a great time getting to know Ben and I hope you enjoy it.Find Ben on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia/In this episode, we discuss: Sunday hunting laws …Ben’s introduction to tree dogs via squirrel hunting …How the easiest part of hound hunting boils down to a simple transaction … then the hard work startsThe tremendous gift that is a generous mentor … and how difficult it can be to take their advice sometimes …The mysterious origins of the Leopard coonhound breed … I’m still confused to be honest … How nice it is to have friendly friends with tuned-up dogs who invite you to hunt …Some safety considerations when taking young kids hunting …Confusing family members with our hunting habits …Diving into Ben’s self-proclamation as an amateur photographer … and the challenges of low-light action photography …And much, much more. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, please consider subscribing to the newsletter where the party is about to kick off … I touch on this toward the end of the episode.Until next time,Niklas Get full access to Hound on the Run at www.houndontherun.com/subscribe

“But what’s awesome about coon hunting is that it’s so … audible. You hear those dogs, and when they start baying and howling like they do, you know they got something; you don’t have to see to know that.”I have had this in the works for a while, and though there were many delays, it's finally here: The first audio edition of Hound on the Run. Think of it as a podcast if you’d like, because I guess, well, that’s what it is. This first episode features a recording I made back in December with my good friend Charlie and my cousin Josh. All three of us got on the phone to talk about Josh’s first coon hunt Charlie and I took him on. In This Episode, You’ll Hear: All about Josh and who he is … and why he sits down on a skateboard …Josh’s pre-hunt perceptions as someone who has never gone hunting with dogs …His thoughts on what the hunt was really like … and how he’s looking forward to some more challenging terrain next time …What size boot he *thought* he wore … and what size he really wears (plus the painful aftermath of guessing wrong) …My pre-hunt thoughts and preparations as I planned out where we would go for Josh’s first hunt …Charlie’s breakdown of the farm we were hunting and why it’s just absolutely perfect for this sort of hunt …What to do if you get lost in the middle of a large parking lot … or during a romantic walk on the beach with your soulmate …The challenges of peeling potatoes … and why everyone should invest in an automatic potato peeler …A first-timers perception of 9 hounds treeing a barn cat … WOOPS!And a whole lot more. Be Warned …The audio is a bit rough. It was recorded remotely with each of us on iPhone’s and there were some glitches. Toward the end, the audio started “stacking” and it sounds like we were talking over each other and finishing each other’s sentences — I assure you, we weren’t. But I really don’t care. I’m just excited to get started down the path of what I hope will eventually become a regular podcast with more guests and higher-quality audio. It’s an unpolished turd that I’m extremely proud of … and I think you’ll enjoy it. Thank You for Joining MeThank you for joining me on my maiden voyage into podcasting. If you enjoy it, please let me know in the comments and tell some friends about it. Please subscribe to the Hound on the Run Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts — Apple, Stitcher, Spotify … it should be available everywhere. And if it isn’t now, keep checking back on your favorite platform. To get notified on when the next episode is coming out, please subscribe to the newsletter. When you click Subscribe Now below, you can choose a free or paid option. All posts and podcasts are sent to free subscribers right off the bat, but paid subscriptions get access to the full back log of posts. If you have any hesitations, please just choose “None” for the free tier and let me show you what this is all about. Either way …Until next time, Niklas Isaac Get full access to Hound on the Run at www.houndontherun.com/subscribe